Garment hanger



Dec. 24, 1963 c. s. BASSIN ,286.

GARMENT HANGER Filed 001:. 25, 1 961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 7 Q, INVENTOR.

CHARLES S. BASSIN ATTORNEY.

Dec. 24, 1963 v c..s, ssm 3,115,286

GARMENT HANGER I Filed Oct. 25. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CHARLES S. BASSIN ATTORNEY.

Dec. 24, 1963 Filed 001;. 25. 1961 c. s. BASSIN GARMENT HANGER 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. CHARLES S. BASSIN BY 11/ I ATTORNEY.

Dec. 24, 1963 c, s, ssm 3,115,286

GARMENT HANGER Filed Oct. 25, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

CHARLES s. BASSIN ATTORNEY.

United States Patent "ice 3,115,286 GARMENT HANGER Charles S. Bassin, 62 Randolph St., Springfield, Mass. Filed Oct. 25, 1961, Ser. No. 147,495 3 Claims. (Cl. 223-96) Tne present invention relates generally to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in garment hangers and is directed more particularly to the provision of a hanger for trousers or skirts of the type having opposing clamping devices and having means for locking the devices in clamping position.

It will be helpful to an understanding of my invention first to briefly consider its essential points and more important features and aspects, so that same may be kept in mind during subsequent reading of the detailed description of the practical embodiments of the improve ments and illustrations thereof in the hereunto annexed drawings.

Accordingly, it will first be noted that this invention contemplates the provision of a hanger having a fixed frame or support bar and a coacting, movable, pressure bar, and having novel locking means associated therewith for releasably interlocking the two bar members in garment-holding position, said means being easily manipulated with only one hand whereby the other hand may be left free to drape the garment upon the hanger.

It is a main object of the present invention to provide a novel garment hanger for holding garments such as trousers, skirts or the like, said hanger "being sturdy in its construction, simple in its design, involving aminimum of parts and being easily manipulatable for placing a garment on the hanger, locking same relative thereto, and releasing same therefrom.

As another object hereof, I provide a garment hanger of the type described which is so constructed as to enable the user to suspend one hanger from another, same being a highly desirable feature while traveling or where storage space is limited.

Still another salient feature is that by means of my novel construction, garments will be easily placeable upon, or removable from, the hanger and, when the hanger is in a closed and locked position, the garments will be tightly gripped wherefore the possibility that same may slide or slip from thevhanger is precluded.

While it has been heretofore known to employ cooperating bars to retain garments on a hanger, difficulty has been encountered in retaining these bars in satisfactory locked positions. Complicated latching means have been proposed, but such all suffer the disadvantages that they are expensive to manufacture, are oftentimes difficult for the user to operate, are not readily adaptable for the placement of a garment thereon, and frequently do not retain the bars in a tightly-closed and locking position. Too, these hangers suffer the further disadvantage that the user must employ both hand to release or close the locking mechanism thereof, making the placement of a garment thereon exceedingly difiicult.

In contradistinction, I have devised novel means whereby these difficulties and objections are overcome. I accomplish this by the provision of a device which while easily operated, obviates the possibility that the bars may be accidentally opened. i a

It is therefore an additional object of the invention to provide improvements in the art which, on the basis of the factors involved, are capable of solving said difliculties and assure that the framebar and pressure bar of the hanger remain in the closed, locked, position.

As a further feature, the hanger hereof is so construct-' ed as to permit the user to employ one hand to insert the garment while the other hand is employed to operate the 3,115,286 Patented Dec. 24, 1963 locking device and pressure bar. At no time are two hands required for each operation.

As a further refinement, I provide a garment hanger having a pressure bar slidable relative to guide rods fixed to a frame or support bar coacting with novel locking means whereby the pressure bar may be releasably locked so as to tightly and firmly engage the frame bar.

By means of my novel construction, garments may be suspended from the hanger for prolonged periods of time, ivithout fear of objectionable marking, creasing or wrin- As a further feature, I provide a garment hanger which may be suspended from the cross bar of a hanger of conventional construction disposed thereabove whereby trousers, skirts or the like may be removably suspended below a hanging coat or other garment, with each article of clothing being carried by its own respective hanger, same being a highly desirable feature, it being the usual practice when removing apparel to drape the coat or jacket upon the hanger first, and when donning apparel to remove the coat or jacket from its hanger last. When the coat and trousers are draped from the same hanger a considerable amount of inconvenience is encountered, same being overcome by the novel garment hanger hereof.

These foregoingobjects and other incidental ends and advantages will in part be obvious and apparent and will in part be more fully pointed out as the nature of the invention is better understood in the progress of the disclosure below.

To the end of attaining these objects and advantages and others hereinafter reasonably appearing, it will be explained that the invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, configuration, location and function of parts, as herein described in detail,'although the physical embodiments delineated are only indicative of but a few of the multiplicity of ways in and purposes for which the principles of the invention may be employed. Same are submitted as best known embodiments of the invention, in accordance with the patent statutes, and are given with a view to illustrating and explaining the precise nature of the principles of the invention and their embodiment for practical use, in order that others, skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, may be enabled to adapt and modify them in numerous variations and modifications, each as may be best adapted to theconditions of-any particular use. 7 V

While all of these objects are attainable in the disclosed embodiments, it is to be understood that, by utilizing the invention only in certain of its aspects, certain of the objects may be attained individually or in a sub-groups without necessarily attaining all of the objects. That is, while the advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are oombined, useful embodiments may be produced involving less than the whole.

The characteristic features which I consider to be novel with my invention, as to its construction and or-' FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an improved garment hanger constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the hanger being shown in lthC closed and locked position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the hanger being shown in the opened and unlocked position;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view taken from the right, as viewed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end :elevational view taken from the right, as viewed in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the hanger as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the hanger shown in FIG. 2;

'FIG. 7 is a sectional elevational view of a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of two of the hangers of the invention in interlocking position; and

FIG. 9 is an eleuational view of the modified hanger of the invention suspended from the cross bar of a hanger of conventional construction.

In the following description and in the appended claims, various components and details thereof will be identified by specific names for purposes of convenience. 'Ilhe terms and expressions employed are for purposes of identifying various components and are used in a descriptive sense only, they being intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit. They are not intended to exclude any reasonable equivalents of the features shown 'and described or portions thereof.

With continued reference now to the drawings, which illustrate typical and preferred embodiments of the invention for the purpose of disclosure and form a part of this specification, I have shown a garment hanger comprising a frame member, generally indicated by 10, a horizontally-extending frame or support bar 12, a pressure bar 14 disposed in generally parallel relationship to said frame or support bar 12, and a hook 16.

Frame 10 is preferentially, though not obligatorily, formed of wire rod and includes a pair of spaced, parallel, elongated vertically-extending, supporting or guide rods 18, 18, the upper terminals of which are interconnected by a horizontally-extending connecting bar 22, all defining a substantially inverted U shape frame.

The supporting or guide rods 18, 18 of frame 10 are loosely inserted through complemental, vertically-aligned, openings extending through pressure bar 14 adjacent opposite ends thereof, and have their lower distal ends fixed to frame or support bar 12 adjacent opposite ends thereof.

By suoh arrangement, pressure bar 14 may be moved vertically between positions adjacent and spaced upwardly of frame or support bar 12.

It will be appreciated and understood that a plurality of such pressure bars 14 may be provided, if desired, all being slidable along and relative to the guide rods 18, 18.

Said frame and pressure bars 12 and 14 are preferably formed of wood, though not necessarily so, and are circular in cross-section so as to provide arcuated working surfaces.

If desired, the frame and pressure bars 12 and 14 may be provided with complemental, oppositely-facing longitudinally-extending recessed portions 26 and 28 respectively, which recessed portions are of reduced cross section and are disposed equidistant of the guide rods 18, 18 for the reception therewithin of the seams of the trousers disposed therebetween. The book 16 is provided with an elongated, generally vertically-extending, lowermost, locking-bar or crank 24, the lower end of which is seated within a suitably configured, vertically-extending, opening centrally of pressure bar 14 and is pinned thereto as by a pin 25.

The shank of locking bar or crank 24 is provided with an offset comprising an upwardly and laterally outwardly deflected bend with respect to the locking bar. This offset provides a locking or camming shoulder 30 which is generally inclined relative to the plane defined by the locking bar or crank and slants generally upwardly and away from the shank of the locking bar.

In the closed or locked position of the hanger, the locking or camming shoulder 30 will be understood to be pressable as by a camrning action into locking engagement with connecting bar 22, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, said connecting bar 22 being adapted to ride over the locking or camming shoulder so that said connecting bar engages therewith wherefor the respective instrumentalities are locked against relative movement as to each other.

Thus, the outwardly bent portion is locking shoulder 30 of locking bar 24 defining a gripping portion on its uppermost surface wherefor the locking shoulder bearing against the connecting bar acts to bias the pressure bar in clamping position toward the frame or support bar and to lock the element 24 and the pressure bar against movement with respect to the remainder of the hanger whereby the bars may not be separated when in the clamping position.

In essence, a spring tension is effectuated between locking shoulder 30* and connecting bar 22 so as to ensure the retention of pressure bar 14 in the closed or locked garment-holding position.

-It is therefore apparent that, once a garment has been secured in the hanger and has been hung, accidental disengagement of the garment from the hanger is substantially prevented and the garment will remain in a suspended position as long as the garment hanger is suspended from its supporting rack.

To move the members so as to shift from the closed or locked position of FIG. 1 to the opened or unlocked position of FIG. 2, the operator need only exert a slight forward pressure upon locking shoulder 30 of locking bar 24, urging it forwardly so as to be released from engaging position with connecting bar 22.

Therefollowing, pressure bar 14 may be manually actuated upwardly along and relative to guide rods 18, 18.

Conversely, to move the hanger components from the opened, unlocked, position of FIG. 2 to the closed, locked, position of FIG. 1, pressure bar 14 may be actuated downwardly along guide rods 18, 18 until pressure bar 14 contacts frame bar 12, with or without a garment suitably placed therebetween, whereupon locking shoulder 30 may be sprung into locking position below connecting bar 22.

According to the garment hanger of the invention, a garment, such as a pair of folded trousers, is passed between bars 12 and 14.

When suspended, pressure bar 14 is pulled downwardly by gravity, and is locked wherefor the trousers are pressed strongly between bars 12 and 14 in manner so as to hold same securely, to aid in the removal of wrinkles therefrom, and to aid in retaining and/ or imparting the creases thereto.

The seams of the trousers are held within recessed portions 26 and 28 of bars 12 and 14 respectively, same being of reduced cross sectional area as aforesaid wherefor the said bars will be held in parallel relationship as to each other throughout their lengths at all times.

The hanger offers the advantage that it may be manipulated with equal ease and efiiciency from either side thereof.

The eye of hook :16 may, if desired, be provided at its uppermost plane with a generally horizontally and laterally-outwardly-extending offset 50 of substantially semicircular or U shape wherefor the interengagement of a pair of vertically-aligned hangers may be accomplished, the offset 50 of the lower hanger being of such configuration as to accommodate therewithin vertically-extending locking bar 24 of the upper hanger, as shown in FIG. 8, to the end that one hanger is suspended from and vertically-below another.

I have shown, in FIG. 7, a modified form of construction of a locking bar 124 employing the angularly disposed locking shoulder corresponding to the preferred form hereinabove disclosed and incorporating, additionally, a secondary angularly disposed offset to provide a suspension shoulder 132, shoulders 130 and 132 being arranged 5 in seriatim and being interconnected by an angularly disposed slideway 134.

In FIG. 9, I have shown the modified form of hanger of my invention attached to a conventional coat hanger wherefor the combined devices may be used as a clothes hanger, the suspension shoulder 132 being of suitable configuration to allow the suspension of the hanger, with a pair of trousers T carried thereby, from the cross bar C of a conventional coat hanger D as shown.

It is believed that the gist of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly', further analysis thereof at this point is considered unnecessary, as I have, in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, described the construction and principle of operation of my invention together with the apparatus which I believe to represent the best embodiment thereof, to the end that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of its generic and/or specific aspects. The substitution of equivalents and other changes, modifications and alterations as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, are reasonably contemplated, the invention being susceptible of such without departing from its real spirit or underlying principles.

The claims are desired to include within the scope thereof all of said suitable variations, modifications and equivalents by which substantially the results of the invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent devices or means. Accordingly, limitation hereof should only be made as determined by a proper interpretation of the prior art and the scope of the subjoined claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent herein as broadly as possible.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A garment hanger comprising a frame having spaced vertical guide bars connected by a horizontally-extending connecting bar, a frame bar fixed to the lower ends of said guide bars, a pressure bar disposed above said frame bar and slidable vertically along and relative to said guide bars, a vertically-extending locking bar disposed centrally of said pressure bar, said locking bar carrying a hook portion at its upper end and a locking portion centrally thereof, said locking portion comprising a laterally offset shoulder formed in said locking bar and being engageiable on vertical downward movement of said locking bar with the connecting bar of said frame in the closed position of the hanger, and said hook portion being provided at its uppermost plane with a laterally-outwardly extending offset whereby a plurality of said hangers may be suspended one from the other.

2. In a garment hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein said locking bar is provided with an angularly disposed suspension shoulder arranged in seri-atim above said locking portion and adapted for engagement with the cross bar of a hanger disposed thereabove.

3. In -a garment hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame and pressure bars are each provided with oppositely-facing recessed portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,992,356 Darby Feb. 26, 1935 2,222,232 McOsker Nov. 19, 1940 2,391,661 Watkins et al. Dec. 25, 1945 2,610,775 Stager Sept. 16, 1952 3,000,513 Horton Sept. 19, 1961 

1. A GARMENT HANGER COMPRISING A FRAME HAVING SPACED VERTICAL GUIDE BARS CONNECTED BY A HORIZONTALLY-EXTENDING CONNECTING BAR, A FRAME BAR FIXED TO THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID GUIDE BARS, A PRESSURE BAR DISPOSED ABOVE SAID FRAME BAR AND SLIDABLE VERTICALLY ALONG AND RELATIVE TO SAID GUIDE BARS, A VERTICALLY-EXTENDING LOCKING BAR DISPOSED CENTRALLY OF SAID PRESSURE BAR, SAID LOCKING BAR CARRYING A HOOK PORTION AT ITS UPPER END AND A LOCKING PORTION CENTRALLY THEREOF, SAID LOCKING PORTION COMPRISING A LATERALLY OFFSET SHOULDER FORMED IN SAID LOCKING BAR AND BEING ENGAGEABLE ON VERTICAL DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID LOCKING BAR WITH THE CONNECTING BAR OF SAID FRAME IN THE CLOSED POSITION OF THE HANGER, AND SAID HOOK PORTION BEING PROVIDED AT ITS UPPERMOST PLANE WITH A LATERALLY-OUTWARDLY EXTENDING OFFSET WHEREBY A PLURALITY OF SAID HANGERS MAY BE SUSPENDED ONE FROM THE OTHER. 